Apparatus for producing elastic coils with connecting tails



a 5% 4 r z m 3 M M we 0 Q A A my lflzlllfz'arr a Mama Fa Filed Aug. 8,1945 R. J. ARNOLD ET AL APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELASTIC COILS WITHCONNECTING TAILS Oct. 26, 1948.

Patented Oct. 26, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FORPRODUCING-ELASTIC COILS 'WITH CONNEGTINGTAILS Application August" 8,

- 6 Claims.- 1 F'This::invention relates to apparatus for producingelastic co'ilr cables with connecting tails. i It is: :nowwellknown-that; retractile; and" extensible: extension acids or cables, forvarious,

purposes, principally electrical, may be satisfactorilyconstructedbyproviding-a conductoror a plurality OficOIldllCtOls with a coveringorsheath oftincompletely-vulcanized rubber or the like; then closelycoiling, it intothe form--01; a-;he1ix, and

then vulcanizing it,--.a"-ter-which the cable-will be readilyextensible,-as,-for example, for extension cordv purposes, withoutdamage thereto, while bein eautoma-tically retracted by-its ownresilience to,.closely, coiled helical .formation when released, andthat the-resilience of the'cable may .beenhancedtby, reversing.the-directioncf the coils as broadlyadisclosed and claimed in theCampbell- Eatent No. 2,1?73;096.v

, Inltheaapplication of, RalphD. Collins, St N. 588,043, filed: April.-12, 19.45,, methodand means for making cablesof thisvclassraredisclosed, and in Crehan. and Arnoldapplioatiom S. N..592,398,.filedQMayl,1945,,eother means. are shown, for this, purpose.

The present. invention aims, to ,provide still further improved methodand. means which ob viate certain cli'fiiculties encountered intheiproduction of elastic coilcables withlongitudinal ends,,particularlyin enhancing the speed of production and reducing the handling of the,cable in the process.

,These andother. objects and advantages will be apparentfrom'ythefollowing description, taken together with the accompanyingdrawings, showing, an illustrative. embodiment of the invention andsteps of operation, and in. which drawings- Figurel is. a plan viewofmeans employedin accordance with the present disclosure, andillustrating by full and broken lines alternative positions of the partscorresponding to respectivesteps of operation;

Figure 2'is anend viewofparts shown inFlgure 1 looking thereat, from thelefthand side of. Figure 1 and assuming that the parts are in theposition shown in broken. lines in Figure 1;

Figure 3 isa fragmentary view of parts show in Figure 1- but lookingthereat from the bottom or'reverse side;

Figure 4 is-a cross section taken on the lined-4 of Figure 3;

' Figure'5 isa'section' takenon the line 55 of Figure Z; and

Figure' 6 -is; a reduced View of thecable after reversal.

Referring: in detail' to the illustrative embodi- 1945," Serial No.609,686

1 m'ent ShOWilt'iIl the-drawings, the mandrel-1 to maybe -usuallyz ametal rod upon" which thecable may'rbe formed, the: cable :having theextensible and automatically retractable coiled portion: such 5 as: H"an'danrunooiledeportion such as, 12,-which 1 latterds adapted towform aconnecting-tail for the cableeor cord, which; as-iswell-knownmay-compriseuones' or" more and :in this instance three:insulatedixconductors l3 encased-"inua sheath" of 10 rubber-likevulcanizable material? I 4;

Since,:it is usual-'tanddesirable-in high 'speed quantity productionof'gsuch cables to: rotate themandrel'EiO-gnby any suitable means WhiChrneed not be here described; inorder: 'tocoil the" coiled portion ll'coithe'cablezthereon; itis -highlyzadvantageous that. :some -means beprovided: for:

hoiding'i one ":end' of. :theecable' to: the" mandrel but away from thecoiled portion thereof .whilethe" coiled? portion is: being coil ed;such' 'endvof'. the cablei'which is heldeto the mandrel" beingdesirablytin straight uncoiled form. andiadapted to..be= used as laconnecting tail for the cable in its final form; t and thezpresent'lrinvent'ion provides means for' this purpose.-Pursuant;theretoandvin-accordance with the present invention aclampingmember is providedv through both formations and between the legs 2! andz t-of the U shapetformation i9 asw'ell asbetween"the -1egs 2'3and '24of the U-shape formation- 20, which thus. constitute th'e mand'rel"receiving" slots IQa and 20a respectively whereinlthe--maridrel isclamped or :wedged by thefreeen'd 25" ofthe thumb screw M3 to securethe' clamp member and mandrel together.

In this instance, theleg "Zl' of the U-shape formation I'Qis extendedin-another U'-shape -formation as'v at 26 to provide a lateral abutment21 for: apurpose laten explained, i and extending between the U-'shapeformations 1 9' and 20 isa screw receiving elemen-t 28 atright' anglesto the web 16a. -As here shown, the screw receiving such as the thumb:-screw I 8 *beinglo'cated adja-' U-shape formations l9 and 20, lateralabutment 29, and screw receiving elements 23 and 29 together constitutea base member for the clamp member.

Extending also across the U-shape formations l 9 and 29 in parallel withthe screw receiving elements 28-29 and in rotative abutment therewith asat 3| (also see Fig. 4) is a knuckle element 32, which, in thisinstance, is somewhat circular and passes the shank 33 of the thumbscrew l8 therethrough freely as at 34, the extreme inner end of theshank 33 being threaded as at 35 to screw into the tapped perforations36 in the screw receiving elements 28-29. The outer end of the thumbscrew 18 has a wing head 38. Thus, the elements 28-29 and 32 jointlyform aknuckle for the clamp member, having in this instance relativelyrotating parts.

The knuckle element 32 is advantageously made with an angular edge forrotative purposes, and, in accordance with the present embodiment, isintegral with the cable carrying and positioning part I! of the deviceand which as here shown in addition to the knuckle element 32 includesan arm 39 integral with the knuckle element 32 and extending outwardlytherefrom. The arm 39 includes a trough-like formation 40 which isgrooved or troughed as at 4| to receive the uncoiled cable portion l2therein and maintain this uncoiled portion stra ght. Adjacent the bight42 of the cable where the uncoiled portion thereof joins the coiledportion. the arm 39 has a curvilinear entrance formation 43 throughwhich the cable passes to the trough formation 49 and which is roundedto avoid marking the relatively soft material l4 of the cable prior tovulcanization.

Releasably to re ain he cable end 12 in the trough-like formation 49,the latter is provided with a cover 44 which is movable with respect tothe arm 39 and in fact in this instance is removable therefrom but hasmeans for clamping itself to the arm. In this instance, such means maycomprise a pair of hooks 45 adapted to engage one edge, of the arm 39and to be drawn tightly thereagainst by a spring lug 41 which has agroove 48 there n to receive the other edge 49 of the arm 39. Theextension 50 of the lug 4'! acts as a thumb piece as well as a springlook by which the cover 44 may be sprung onto or off of the arm 39against the resilience of the lug 41 which thus acts somewhat as areleasable spring clamp.

Further in accordance with the present inventi-on and in the embodimenthere disclosed which includes .the provision of the pivotal connectionbetween the cable carrying and positioning part I! and the mandrelengaging part I 6. and to permit this ready pivoting in either directionon the are the shank 33 of the thumb screw I 8 may carry an arch platespring 52, which may have a collar 53 pinned as at 54 onto the screwshank 33. Spatulate fingers 55 of the arch spring 52 press against theouter face 56 of the knuckle part 32 of the cable carrying andpositioning part i! as the thumb screw I8 is screwed inwardly .to clampthe device on the mandrel, while leaving the arm 39 of the cablecarrying and positioning part I! swingable, as already mentioned, withthe knuckle part 32 and with respect to the relatively stationarymandrel engaging part I6, against the friction between these parts atthe point 3| created by the spring52, the parts being thus yieldablyrelatively rotatable.

The cover 44 is desirably longitudinally and the arrow 69.

centrally semi-circularly grooved as at 51 to mate with the grooving 4|in the arm 39 and thus together provide a cylindrical passageway for thecable uncoiled end l2, and the ends of the grooving 51 are desirablycurled outwardly as at 58 to avoid marking the soft unvulcanized sheathmaterial 14.

Operation in accordance with the present invention is as follows:

With the mandrel I9 mounted in any suitable support permitting rotationof the mandrel on its axis, the clamp member [5 is secured to themandrel at any place therealong selectively at which it may be desiredto form a coiled cable. In this position with respect to the mandrel,the cable carrying and positioning part i! of the clamp member may bepreliminarily rotated to the position such as shown in dotted lines inFigure 1 and as shown in Figure 2. Thereupon one end of the cable, suchas the end i2 is led through the entrance 43 and is laid in the groove4| of the arm 39 and the cover 44 clamped .thereover, it beingunderstood that the cable end then is fairly tightly held.

The cable is then looped over the mandrel as by the initial loop 59, andthe other free end of the cable (not shown) may be held yleldingly whilethe mandrel is rotated in the direction of Thereupon the cable is coiledon the mandrel as in the coiled portion I l, which, it will beunderstood, is here shown discontinued, to save space, short of the fullextent to which the coiled portion H may be formed as desired.

When the coiled portion ll of the cable has been formed to the extentdesired, rotation of the mandrel is stopped and the cable carrying andposit oning part I! of the clamp member I5 is rotated from the positionshown in dotted lines in Figure l and as shown in Figure 2, to theposition shown in full l nes in Figure 1, that is, so as to carry theuncoiled cable portion I2 from a preliminary position in which it waslocated away from the coiled portion H, during coiling of the latter, toa position in which is now located lapping the coiled portion H andextending somewhat longitudinally thereof.

It may be understood that if desired the other opposite free end of thecable may be similarly held and disposed by another clamp member l5,which, however, is not here shown.

Next, the entire assembly, including mandrel, cable, and clamp membermay be subjected to a vulcanizing treatment during which the cablesheath 14 is vulcanized or cured to the extent desired to give the cablethe required resilience and retractability when used say as an extensioncord, and so that its coiled portion l I, which it will be seen is inthe form of a helix, may be stretched and then automatically retracted.

During the cure, the cover 44 together with the arm 39, which form atleast a partial enclosure for the uncoiled cable end l2, may serve thepurpose of absorbing some of the heat which would otherwise reach thevulcanizable material it in the cable 12, and thus serve to reduce thedegree of cure which this cable end receives, for purposes offacilitating use of this cable end as an electrical connecting tail forthe cable. Also, during the winding and the cure, the lateral abutment21 incorporated in the clamp member, serves to hold the cable helixformed by the coiled portion ll of the cable, and particularly the firstturn 59 thereof, in position while being initially coiled and laterwhile being vulcanized, and thus providing an macab abutmentagainstwhich thehelix-may be formed and maintained until vulcanized.

After the vulcanizing treatment has been complete djth' cover l i isremoved and the entire clamp member 55 may be disengaged from themandrel'whereupon the coiled portion 1! i of the cable may be slippedoff the-mandrel:

Finally, as "already alluded to, the direction of' the'helical coils ofthe cable may be reversed shown in the" Campbell Patent No.2,173,096gt0- mil enhance its resilienceiandretractability. When soreversed, the cable will then have the form shown' in'iFigure 6 in whichthe coils'instead of having ari'ghth'andturmso tospeak, as in Figure 1,will now have a lefthand turn as shown in Figure 6. At the same time,the uncoiled cable end i2 will now extend longitudinally away from thecoiled portion ii instead of longitudinally lapping it as shown inFigure 1. It may be wondered why the cable end it should havean'cblique.

lapping position in Figure 1 while assuming a straight longitudinalposition after reversal as shown in Figure 6, but it has been found thatif the conductors l3 are wound together or precabled before the sheath ii is extruded thereonto, and as disclo ed in the Geraty Patent No.2,394.762 issued February 12, 1946, and this cabling embodies arelatively tight twisting of the conductors l3, that the phenomenon herereferred to will advantageously occur, namely of curing the cable withthe cable end l2 oblique and lapping the coiled portion while causing itto be longitudinal and parallel to the axis of the helix after reversal.

In place of the cover 44, the cable end 12 could be held on the arm 39by passing it through an aperture lllla therein as shown in dotted linesin Figure 2.

It will be understood that when it is desired to initially wind thecable by a left-hand coil turn (instead of right-hand as in Fig. l) aclamp member like that here shown but adapted for a lefthand coil turnon the mandrel maybe provided reciprocal in construction.

Manifestly the invention is not limited to details of construction shownfor purposes of exemplification and it may not be essential that allelements of the combination be used at all times together, since it isto be understood that it is intended that various combinations orsub-combinations may be employed and such changes may be made as fallwithin the appended claims without departing from the invention.

The invention having been described, what is here claimed is:

1. Means for the production of elastic coil cables embodying avulcanizable material and for use with a mandrel for coiling the cablethereon during vulcanization of the material, embodying, a clamp member,comprising, a mandrel engaging part arranged to be clamped to themandrel, said mandrel engaging part including a U- shape base adapted toreceive the mandrel therein, a cable carrying part arranged to clamp anuncoiled cable portion thereto, said cable carrying part including aknuckle element and an arm element, said knuckle element being securedto the base and said arm element being troughshape to receive the cabletherein and having a curvilinear entrance formation for the cableadjacent the knuckle element, and a clamping screw passing through saidknuckle element and a leg of the base to which the knuckle element isat-- tached, for engagement with the mandrel.

2. Means for the production of elastic coil 6... cables embodying' avulcanizabl'e "materi'alicom prising; a mandrel for coiling thecablvtliere'on, a and a clamp member having:a-m'anc1re1 engagingn partarranged to be clamped to theman'drel anda cable carrying part arranged'toclamp an uri coiled cable portion thereto, said cable carrying partincluding-an arnr element pivotally secured to themandrel*engagingpartfor swinging movements of-sa'id a'rm" element" withrespect to the mandrel in the plane of the axis of the mandrel.

3. Means forproductio-n of elastic coil cables embodying, a,vulcanizable .material and. for use wfth a mandrel for coiling thecablethereon dur'-. ing vulcanization of the material, embodying, aclamp member, comprising, a mandrel engaging part arranged to be clampedto the mandrel, a cable carrying part arranged to clamp an uncoiled cabeportion thereto, said cable carrying part including a knuckle elementand an arm element, said knuck'e element being secured to the mandrelengaging part, and a clamping element for eng gement with the mandrel,wherein there is an aperture in said arm adjacent its end opposite saidknuckle element to receive the cable end therethrough to retain thecable end in position.

l. Means for production of elastic coil cables embodying a vulcanizablematerial and for use with. a mandrel for coi ing the cable thereonduring vulcanization of the material, embodying, a clamp member,comprising, a mandrel enga ing part including a U-shape base adapted toreceive the mandrel therein, a cable carrying p rt arranged to clamp anuncoiled cable portion thereto, said cabe carrying part including aknuckle element and an arm element, said knuckle element be ng securedto the base. and a clamping screw passing through said knuck e elementand a leg of the base to which the knuckle element is attached forengagement with the mandrel, wherein the knuckle element is pivoted tosaid leg on the shank of said screw and there is a spring interposedbetween the head of the screw and the knuckle element to create frictiontherebetween to yieldingly permit swinging of the cable carrying partwith respect to the mandrel engaging part.

5. Meansfor production of elastic coil cables embodying a vulcanizablematerial and for use with a mandrel for coiling the cable thereon duringvulcanization of the material, embodying, a clamp member, comprising, amandrel engaging part arranged to be clamped to the mandrel, saidmandrel engaging part including a U-shape base adapted to receive themandrel therein, a cable carrying part arranged to clamp an uncoiledcable portion thereto, said cable carrying part including a knuckleelement and an arm element extending away from the mandrel, said knuckleelement being secured to the base and said arm element being adapted tohold the uncoiled cable portion in uncoiled form during vulcanization,and a clamping element for engagement with the mandrel, wherein the saidbase is formed of sheet material bent in a plurality of U formations.

6. Means for production of elastic coil cables embodying a vulcanizablematerial and for use 7 ing trough-shape to receive the cable therein,and a clamping screw passing through said knuckle element for engagementwith the mandrel, wherein there is a. movable cover for the cablecarrying part and means for clamping the, cover thereto.

RALPH J. ARNOLD. WILLIAM D. MACDONALD. RALPH D. COLLINS.

. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number Number

